Made well
This blog post is adapted from a talk I gave at Ember, a conference at my local church. I pray that these words minister to you and bring glory to Jesus as we all press forward in walking with Him in truth.
Conflict and confusion churn within and around us. It seems nothing, no one, is predictable, stable, or secure. The people and places you thought you could depend on are a constantly moving target. The pace of the race to have it all, do it all, be all things, to all people, in all areas of life is taking a toll. Life (as you imagined and planned) feels extremely fragile.
If you are stressed, worried, anxious, overwhelmed, restless, and the symptoms that accompany this plague are tying you in knots— sleepless, restless, know you are not alone & your condition is not rare and the prognosis is not hopeless.
You are human and the root of all pain and sorrow, suffering and struggle is sin. This is not the way it was supposed to be. This is not the way it has to stay.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love, and a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7
CONTROLLED BY ANXIETY AND FEAR
While praying about what to share with you: Jesus said,
I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6
In our world today, we have oo many choices. Too many options. Too many alternatives – all adding another layer to the conflict and confusion.
Yet what Jesus says is simple, clear, direct, and straight forward. He is everything we desire. We long to be safe and secure. We long to have rest and peace. We long to know we are loved and accepted. We long for the reassurance, we belong, we matter. Everything is focused on how we feel. Yet, We know there is something more than this (this world, this life). Solomon reminds us that this feeling of “something more” is given to us by God.
God has set eternity in the heart of every man. Ecclesiastes 3:11
I am inviting you to join me now in the word of God. It is the gospel of peace. Jesus as the Prince of Peace ministers His peace that bypasses understanding to your hearts and soul through this Word.
My years of being in a personal relationship with the living Lord Jesus are beginning to add up now. Many of my hopes and dreams have been fulfilled and others utterly fail me but one thing that has never fallen through is the unchanging, everlasting, enduring Word of God.
The way, the truth, and the life are found in this book. This is the only reliable place for us to focus and receive clarity and direction.
LAYING BY THE GATE
Jesus through the Holy Spirit is present. While the world shuns imperfection and avoids neediness, Jesus is drawn to pools of pain in our lives. One passage of Scripture that exemplifies this is John 5:1-8.
Every human heart suffers from the pains of sin. We all have the list of things we have done and the things that have been done to us. We are no different than the man laying paralyzed by the gate of Bethesda (v.1-4). What are some of the similarities between him and us?
Some of us are Blind.
Maybe we are groping in the darkness for direction and meaning. Some people cannot see a way forward. Others are blinded by deception, disappointment, despair. Maybe a person you thought you could depend on has betrayed you. Or the child you raised has become a stranger to you. It could be the job you chased, the position you worked for, or the retirement you saved for have all come up empty.
Others are Lame.
Perhaps you’re dragging yourself through by leaning on all sort of props. Props like broken dreams, a trail of broken relationships, bodies, finances, and heartaches. The trail behind you leaves you barely able to put one foot in front of the next. You’re lame from carrying the weight of another person or burdens too heavy.
It’s possible you’re Paralyzed.
Some area of your life is locked up, immobilized by fear, panic attacks, nightmares, anxiety, depression, unbelief. Someone brought you to Ember (or sent you this blog post) because they love you and care about you. Maybe, just maybe, this will be helpful to you.
But see what verse 5 says next. “Jesus saw him and knew he had been in that condition a long time.” Jesus went to him. Jesus initiated the encounter.
DO YOU WANT TO BE MADE WELL?
Human nature seeks out the beautiful people. Human nature is drawn to those who seem to have it all together. Jesus seeks out the one who is needy and hopeless. He asks the man a question in verse 5-6, “Do you want to be made well?”
Jesus asks us the same question. Has it occurred to you that you don’t have to live like this? You don’t have to live with overwhelming stress and fear of tomorrow. You don’t have to be consumed with how to survive in your condition.
Jesus sees you. You are not overlooked and unnoticed by Him. He knows your condition – what, who, when, where and how to care for you in it and cure you of its effects.
Jesus is initiating a personal encounter with you right now. He is asking, “Do you want to be made well?” Your condition does not have to be your identity.
Whatever you’re facing, whatever you’re fighting, whatever your past or your present:
Anxiety, eating disorder, control issues, addiction,
Insecurity, inadequacy, challenge,
Disease, heartache, loss… the list could go on.
Would you rather own the condition or let Jesus take the condition and set you free from it?
EXCUSES AND RATIONALIZATION
When we read verse 7, we see the crux of the issue. Yes, the man was paralyzed for thirty-eight years. But he still had excuses, a rationalizing why he lives this way. Can I tell you something from personal experience? Getting stuck in the “why” mentality is a devilish trap set to keep you caught in the cause and steal the cure! The wheels of, “Why me/why this?” will keep us spinning in the mud and the muck of self.
The man keeps coming to the porch, he keeps putting himself in close proximity to the moving waters, but he seems to have no expectation for things to change… he is fixed on why his condition remains unchanged.
I have no man to put me/ another steps down before me. John 5:7
What’s your excuse?
A dysfunctional family, rejection, abuse, unloved, violated and offended? Maybe it’s, “I’ve been overlooked, unappreciated, misunderstood, stepped over, & pushed aside my whole life!” Yet there’s no understanding that no man can do for you what Jesus can do.
RISE, TAKE UP YOUR BED, WALK
We must STOP living on excuses and live with expectation. Jesus is present. He is THE living water. He is always moving, working, cleansing, quenching, satisfying, sustaining, and healing.
In verse 8, John tells us:
Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed, and walk.”
The words of Jesus are the power of life.
He sent forth His word and healed and delivered them from their destructions. Psalm 107:20
Lying on a bed of mourning and sorrow greater than I could ever tell you, after the sudden death of my son, James, it was the word of God that was life to me. It was read, listened to, sung over me, prayed by me, to me, through me. His Word supernaturally healed me, strengthened me, nourished and fed me. Jesus and His word enabled me to rise.
Jesus would tell all of us, “You have no strength or ability within yourself but by the power and authority of My word – I’m here to raise you up. I am present to give you an overflowing measure of strength to stand with or without your condition in deep and abiding faith.”
Immediately – made well.
Miracles take place when we move in obedience to God’s word. The man put faith in Jesus word. He chose to act on what He was told.
Jesus is speaking to all of us and telling us to rise. Rise out of unbelief, rise out of confusion, darkness, and fear. Make a deliberate decision.
It is time for you and me to take up our beds. Do you want to decide right now that your circumstances may explain many things, however, you are no longer using them as an excuse to live a crippled life.
It is time to be done with lesser things. Decide here and now to exchange fear for faith.
Pray to the Lord and say, “Jesus, you are the way, I am going to follow where You take me.”
If He is the truth, I am going to learn to weigh everything I hear and learn against His truth. His word is my standard and His truth is my plumb line. I’m done with allowing the world to define truth to me.
Jesus is my life and the longing for more than this, is satisfied by life in Him.
NOW it is time to walk. Walk in newness of life, one step at a time. It’s time to make your spiritual growth the top priority in your life.
